


Stolen Flowers for a Stolen Life

by animangod



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Car Accidents, Cemetery, Character Death, Family Dynamics, First Dates, Implied/Referenced Death in Childbirth, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 13:01:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18388943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animangod/pseuds/animangod
Summary: Originally posted on FF. Slight changes from there.Based on: Awful AU Prompt # 196: Sometimes I steal flowers from your garden on my way to the cemetery, but today you’ve caught me and have demanded to come with me to make sure the “Girl is pretty enough to warrant flower theft” and I’m trying to figure out how to break it to you that we’re on our way to a graveyard” AU





	1. Chapter 1

The weather was fair out, the sky overcast with pale gray clouds. They’d darken up later that afternoon and possibly bring forth some rain but for now the ground was dry and full of shady patches.

 

Kurogane stopped at a garden he had clipped a flower from before on his way to visit his mother. The small gate had a simple latch and swung freely open as he stepped inside, briefly glancing at the different flowers, before finding one that was still full of life, and clipping it with a pair of thread cutting scissors. The six times before, no one had let him know it was not the Communal garden. On the seventh time he’d do it, the owner of the garden saw him and came over to see him.

 

“She must be really pretty if you’re resorting to flower theft,” Fai chirped out as he leaned on the fence the other man had used to get in.

 

Kurogane looked up from the flowers to face the owner. Since Fai spoke in English, Kurogane mentally recited the format for English sentences in his head, before speaking, “Is you garden?”

 

Ah, a foreigner, Fai assumed, hearing the imperfect English. “It is. I noticed someone else had been shearing some of my flowers.”

 

“Are you not upset?” Kurogane asked.

 

“I’m not upset, but now that I’ve seen you, I need to see her and make sure she is pretty enough for flower theft.”

 

“Ah?” Kurogane looked at him confused.

 

_ Simple sentences, you dummy _ , Fai scolded himself, “I’m going with you, to see who you cut the flowers for.”  _ If you don’t understand that, I’m not sure how much simpler I can make it so you understand _ .

 

Kurogane stood from where he kneeled down to cut the flower, pocketing his scissors, as he gently kept hold of the daylily, and walked over to Fai and the gate. “I uncertain you want to go with I.”

 

Fai silently wondered how long the other had been studying English, as he opened the gate for Kurogane, who stepped out onto the sidewalk, that led straight to the garden. Kurogane shut the garden gate, securing the latch as he cradled the flower head with his arm.

 

Kurogane made no effort to run from Fai as he began to walk on the sidewalk and Fai followed at his side.

 

“So, what’s her name?” he asked, glancing over at Kurogane.

 

“Her name… Tsubame.”

 

“That’s a lovely name,” Fai commented.

 

“Yes, very lovely.”

 

Most people say thank you, but that’s okay, Fai mentally commented. “How long have you known her?”

 

“I known her… all years of my life,” Kurogane answered, wondering how to tell the gardener, that he wasn’t going on a date or something cute like that.

 

“Hwoo… color me impressed,” Fai fake whistled.

 

Kurogane blinked, and looked at him confused, “Impressed is not a color?”

 

Fai laughed a bit before patting Kurogane on the shoulder, “It’s a figure of speech. I didn’t mean it literally.”

 

Kurogane made a small tch, before it grew quiet again as he followed the familiar path, stones paved decades before he was even born, cracks from the wear and tear of life, of pedestrians, bikes, skateboards, even mopeds and the occasional car running over it with their own life, with little consideration for the path beneath their feet. The road between was barely more than gravel and dirt in places between residential streets, less than half of the sidewalks having used a newer cement foundation. There was a park a few blocks away, not far from a building that helped homeless and disabled individuals look for a lasting job.

 

Past the park was a set of train tracks before an empty lot and a few streets that winded about. The trains weren’t frequent during rush hours, more coming in the early afternoon and late at night than any other time. Still, Kurogane looked both ways, for any sight or sound of an oncoming train, and when there was none, he crossed the tracks, Fai right behind him. Kurogane headed down one of the twisting streets that led to a cemetery on one side and the back of homes on the other. In the distance, tops of apartments, business buildings and even a hospital were visible.

 

“I’m going to guess you don’t have a vehicle, since we’re walking there,” Fai brought up to bring a little conversation between them.

 

“I have vehicle, but I not drive it often.”

 

Pointing towards the cemetery, Kurogane spoke up. “I going there.”

 

“To the hospital or the ..?” Fai began to ask, since it looked like it could have been either, but either one was a bit sad.

 

“Tsubame’s body was cremated. She and her baby have grave markers here.”

 

Fai was quiet once more as Kurogane silently continued to lead the way until they stepped among the grass, standing before two grave markers with writing in both English and Japanese. The second date on the headstones was the same, nine months ago. Kurogane set the flower between the two of them, before he pulled out his wallet where he had a photo inside, and showed it to Fai. In the picture there were two males that had striking similarities and a woman that appeared pregnant, and Fai guessed they were father and son. “She is Tsubame.”

 

“Was she your wife?” Fai asked.

 

“No. Not I wife. Tsubame is I mother. This only photo we have of the four of us.”

 

Fai hesitantly asked, “What happened?”

 

“She expecting to deliver that day. We going to hospital when we got hit by drunk’s car. Doctors not capable to save them.”

 

“I’m so sorry,” Fai said sympathetically.

 

“It not your fault; there’s nothing for you to be sorry for.”

 

“Still, losing your mother is never easy…”

 

“You lose you mother too?” Kurogane asked.

 

Fai smiled but there was no mirth to it, “Brother and I never really had one. She abandoned us to an orphanage because she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, raise twins on her own.”

 

Kurogane studied Fai for a bit, before he kneeled down in the grass in front of the two markers, speaking a prayer in his native tongue. Fai stood at his side before squatting down, like a monkey, and offering up prayers of his own to the two. Kurogane could only pick out pieces here and there of what Fai said, but the gesture was warmly appreciated.

 

They spent several minutes there, in front of the graves, offering prayers and small stories, before Kurogane stood back up.

 

“Ah .. will you let me buy you lunch? There’s Taco Bell or there’s McDonald’s nearby.”

 

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

 

“No, there’s no plums around,” Kurogane said, and for a moment, Fai wasn’t sure if he was being serious and mistook date the activity for date the fruit, or if that was supposed to be a joke, before he chuckled, “That depends. Will you buy me a dessert with lunch too?”

 

“If you want.”

 

“Then yes,” Fai said with a smile before he wrapped his arm around one of Kurogane’s. “Besides,” Fai said looking over his shoulder at the two grave markers, “I’m sure she was the kind of mother that wants to watch over her family and see her boy grow up to be happy.”

 

Kurogane was surprised at those words, before looking off to the side. Fai looked back at Kurogane and caught just a faint color to his cheeks, and lightly poked him there. “How cute.”

 

Kurogane lightly swatted the finger, “I not cute.”

 

“We’ll just have to agree to disagree about that one,” Fai spoke charmingly, before he lightly tugged on the arm, “now let’s go get lunch.”

 

“Ah,” Kurogane grunted. That they could agree on.


	2. Chapter 2

Fai smiled as he looked over the menu, idly wondering what sounded good today. They had gone to the McDonald's for their lunch date, and after deciding on one of two meal choices, he looked over to his date as they waited in line.

 

“What are you going to get?” He asked.

 

“Fish meal,” Kurogane replied.

 

“Fish? I thought they were friends not food,” Fai lightly teased.

 

Without missing a beat, Kurogane responded, “I not a very nice shark.”

 

Fai laughed softly at that. It seemed his date understood the reference with ease, making him think the plum reference earlier was simply part of his sense of humor. He was sure the more he improved the easier it would be to see his humor and wit.

 

Kurogane looked at Fai and made a small smile. He seemed nice, and he didn't give him a hard time for his imperfect English skills. He didn't mind being corrected in private but it was different in public.

 

“So what you eat here?” Kurogane asked.

 

“Well, I often like to get the chicken nuggets meal - they're usually not too hot to hold,” Fai mused.

 

“The chicken hotter than you? Must been very hot.”

 

Fai mentally questioned if his lunch date really just casually flirted with him or if he was only imagining it like that. 

 

“You want dessert next to lunch or after lunch?” Kurogane asked after a moment.

 

The ‘next to’ briefly threw him off but with the addition of ‘after’, he understood he meant ‘with lunch’.

 

“How about after lunch today?”

 

“Today?” Kurogane asked.

 

“Mm, yes today. You'll be back next month for a flower right?”

 

Kurogane wasn't sure what to say to that. After a little thinking, he murmured, “if that's okay.”

 

Fai gently patted his shoulder. “For them, yes.”

 

After another minute, they ordered their food, filled their drink cups and sat down to await their food being ready.

 

Between sipping his coke, Fai mentioned, “I am curious why you picked my garden.”

 

Kurogane felt the heat of embarrassment and bowed his head some. “I apologize. I was told there community garden on that street anyone can use. Near corner of street. I ask person while walking past eight months. Person say, ‘yeah, sure’, and continue to go so I think person know. If I know it personal garden, I not take without permission.”

 

“Ah.. then it was an honest mistake. The Communal Garden is two blocks away from my place.. although it's mostly an edible garden than a flower garden.”

 

“Where the tomato patches are behind tall fence?”

 

“Yes, that's the place.”

 

“It doesn't feel very welcome place.”

 

“Because of the fence?”

 

Kurogane nodded before drinking some of his unsweetened tea.

 

Fai wondered what exactly it was about the fence, but decided to lighten the mood some. “Then it's a good thing you leave flowers and not tomatoes for them.”

 

Kurogane was a little surprised by those words and while he didn't feel as embarrassed, his cheeks were still warm.

 

Fai noticed but kept it to a knowing smile. When their number was called, he moved to get up. Seeing Fai get up, Kurogane began to stand up too.

 

“I'll go grab our food.”

 

“Ah.. okay,” Kurogane replied before moving to sit back down.

 

With a friendly smile, he moved to the counter and grabbed the tray with their meals on it and set it down between them.

 

Kurogane softly spoke before reaching for the fish sandwich.

 

Before reaching for his own food, Fai asked, “what does that mean?”

 

“Ah?”

 

“Ita-daki-mahs… I've heard it before but… I was curious what it means.”

 

“Ah…” Kurogane took a moment to mentally look for a suitable translation. “It for when you get. You humble to receive thing. Before food, it for thanks. Thanks for food and let's eat.”

 

“I see. Then.. itadakimasu,” Fai said before grabbing for his fries.

 

Kurogane appreciated the gesture, and unwrapped his sandwich. “Beside good garden, what you like do?”

 

“I like to travel. See new places and all, but I don't go as often as I would like. I'm usually busy with work or volunteering or making sure all my plants are healthy.”

 

“You volunteer?” he asked before taking a bite.

 

“Yes.. I teach basic computer skills and programming classes at the library. What about you?”

 

“I go classes in morning. English third language.”

 

“You must be quite smart then.”

 

“I only some smart in English.”

 

“It's okay,” Fai assured, “Even if you're not proficient, you still speak well enough to be understood. What other languages do you know?”

 

Kurogane felt better at that. “Nihonjin and Guānhuà, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese...Father has some business in Hong Kong so I learn their language second. He teach I many things for when I to take Father's role.”

 

“Do you enjoy the business?”

 

“It I duty. I do hobbies but business and family is priority.”

 

Fai smiled at that as he ate fries. “Oh? So what kind of hobbies?”

 

“Karaoke, and Pokemon.. and things.”

 

“Pokemon? Like Pikachu?” He'd seen the balloon in the Thanksgiving Day parade.

 

Kurogane nodded. “He like .. mascot. There's many, very many more now…” He paused to remember how the English spelled the name, drawing the letters on the tabletop with his finger. “Dragon Air… my favorite of first Pokemon.”

 

Fai had no idea who that was because he hadn't gotten into the Pokemon craze but it wouldn't be hard to find later. “Is Dragon Air pretty?”

 

Kurogane nodded some, “and gentle and strong.”

 

Fai smiled at that, “I think I can see why you like her.”

 

“What about you? Animal person?” He asked, guessing he didn't know much about Pokemon.

 

“I adore animals, especially cats, but my brother is allergic, so I can't have one. He looks after my place when I'm away, after all. They're still so cute to look at though.”

 

Kurogane nodded some at that. “They're good luck animal.”

 

“You think so too?”

 

“I know so. I find you good luck cat. I give you apology gift. You can take on travels for extra luck.”

 

“A good luck cat…” Fai mused.

 

“You might see shops have large one…” Kurogane moved his hand and arm to mimic the beckoning cats.

 

Fai watched before his eyes widened some in recognition, “mm, yes… they look so adorable sitting in front of shop windows.”

 

“I find small one is good for you,” he said before moving his hand from pretending to be a beckoning cat to grabbing some fries.

 

They slowly ate their lunch and when they finished, Kurogane got up and threw away their trash, stacking the tray with others, before going back into line with Fai to get him dessert. Fai decided he wanted an ice cream cone, and as he said he would, Kurogane bought it for him.

 

The two headed out with Fai licking at his ice cream and Kurogane holding a napkin for him, just in case, since it looked like it could get messy. Kurogane offered to walk Fai back to his place, and Fai smiled at the offer.

 

“Hyuu, such a gentleman,” Fai said pleasantly. Casually, he draped his free hand against the man's shoulder, “if you're not busy, that would be very nice.”

 

“I has some time,” Kurogane said agreeably and walked with Fai back towards the street Fai lived on while Fai ate his ice cream.

 

The streets were busy with the slow bustle of traffic as the two headed back, mindful of traffic when they crossed from one side of the sidewalk to the other.

 

Standing outside the property, a small fence wrapped around the property with fairy lights and ivy to spruce it up. The tiny house looked more like a fancy gardener shed with a porch. Trees, bushes, herbs, perennials, and pots of annuals took up most of the seen space. An old wooden table and two chairs were the only furniture on display and the table had a pair of black gloves - great for working with rose bushes - laid on top.

 

“Does your Mother have a favorite flower?”

 

“Ahm… not know English name.”

 

“Well if you learn it, I'll make sure to have some next year.”

 

“That…” Kurogane began, surprised by that.

 

“It may not be necessary but it'd be nice to give them her favorite sometimes, right?”

 

“I...ah, yeah,” Kurogane murmured with a small nod. He thought maybe he would be forgiven for mistaking his garden for a communal one but the warm extension of more of Fai’s personal flowers was more than he was prepared for, and the offer of getting ones especially for him to lay down for them was a little overwhelming. “Very kind, very generous of you.”

 

Fai smiled at that, “Well... I know you're somewhat familiar with the garden but would you like a tour of the place?”

 

Kurogane began to reply but feeling a buzz and the ringtone set for his father, Kurogane pulled his phone out, the display reading New Message. Opening up his flip phone, he read the message before sending a short reply and closing his phone.

 

“I apologize. I must leave. Father says needs I prepare dinner before meeting with Hong Kong.”

 

“You…” Fai began to say he didn't need to explain himself but cut himself off, “you take care of yourself then… and, if I don't see you sooner, I'll see you in a month.”

 

“Yes. You too. Take good care of you,” Kurogane nodded before pocketing his phone and heading off. 

 

He had under three hours to fetch ingredients, make dinner, have a bite and be presentable and prepared for the conference call with Hong Kong. 

 

It only occurred later, when Kurogane and Fai were talking to their closest family member, they never got the other person's name nor remembered to share their own.


	3. Chapter 3

****

Ringing the doorbell, Kurogane stood nearby, hoping to catch Fai at home. When the door opened, at first he thought it had been the same person before noticing something wasn’t quite right.

 

“Oh, you must be the young man my brother mentioned.”

 

Kurogane knew Fai spoke of having a twin that would look after his place. He didn't expect to meet him so soon. But the man referring to his brother made him sure he was right. This wasn’t the same person he had met.

 

“Is he not home today?”

 

“Not now, but he will be this evening.”

 

“Okay. If he not home, I should go. I only come to give him apology gift.”

 

“Would you like to leave it with me and I'll make sure he gets it?”

 

“I think better if give him apology gift in person, but if not trouble, I forgot give him I name.” He pulled out two business cards and held them out. “I name is Kurogane.”

 

“It's nice to meet you, Kurogane. My name is Yuui,” Yuui introduced as he moved closer, and gently took the cards, looking the first card over before back at Kurogane, “you seem quite young to already have a business card, Kurogane.”

 

“It normal custom in I country. If you have job, you have business card.”

 

“And what's your job?” Yuui asked curiously.

 

“I work with Father and learn many things from him and partners. I still much to learn. When I three ten, I duty to take over for Father.”

 

“Well, I hope you keep on learning and doing your best,” Yuui gently smiled.

 

“Thank you. I will do I best. Ah… take good care of you, Yuui,” Kurogane said with a small bow in farewell before walking away.

 

Yuui watched him walk off, checking his pocket that he still had something in it before continuing down the street.

 

Half an hour later, the package Fai had been expecting showed up and Yuui signed for it. He brought it inside before calling Fai to let him know it arrived.

 

“Hyuu! You're the best, Brother.”

 

Yuui smiled at that. “Will you say what it is now?”

 

“Nope,” Fai said with a laugh, “it's a present. And presents are best as surprises.”

 

“Speaking of presents, your flower thief showed up.”

 

“Brother, I told you, it was a misunderstanding - he thought my place was the Communal Garden. And besides, he liked my flowers more than store kind. So it was also a really sweet compliment. But anyway, did he leave the surprise with you?”

 

“No - he wanted to give it to you in person - but he did leave his business card with me.”

 

“Brother… you're not going to do a full background check on him are you?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“So you do plan to. Brother.. isn't there someone you see and just trust is a good person?”

 

“One person comes to mind.”

 

“Besides me, Brother.”

 

“You know it's out of love I check. You are always so kind and trusting of strangers and we don't yet live in a world where every person you meet is a decent human being.”

 

“People make mistakes. If they learn from them, shouldn't they have a second chance?”

 

“In society, perhaps.”

 

“Brother must love me to Jupiter and back then. He's always looking out for me.”

 

“I'll always look out for you.”

 

“I love you too. Best brother.”

 

“You give me too much praise.”

 

“Maybe, but it's out of love. So you just have to accept my loving praise. I'll see you in a couple hours.”

 

“See you then. Be safe.”

 

“I will, my darlin guardian angel,” Fai said merrily before hanging up.

 

Yuui smiled fondly as he put his phone away, “oh, brother.. never change.” He admired his brother's optimism about the world and everyone but it worried him too, because yes, most people he ran across were simply doing their job or living their own life, but those who wanted to be closer, those who wanted to have any personal relationship with Fai, he screened thoroughly. He'd had to break Fai's heart once already, and as much as it hurt to see him that sad, he believed he did the right thing and saved him from worse. While it was nothing felonious, someone with a record of being in bar fights wasn't anyone Yuui wanted dating his brother. 

 

….

 

“Did it go well?” 

 

Kurogane looked over at his father, who was finishing putting on his tie. “He wasn't going to be home until our conference call with Piffle, but I did get to leave my information with his brother,” he paused, “Shall I begin making dinner?”

 

“Not tonight. We scheduled a short meeting with Piffle. Afterwards, we have reservations for dinner at Izakaya.”

 

“That isn't the sushi bar we went to last time?”

 

“It is not; Daisuke-san recommends their gyoza.”

 

“Hopefully it'll be worth going out for. That is the one dish you are good at making.”

 

His father reached over and lightly ruffled his hair, with an affectionate grin, “go get ready, son.”

 

Kurogane almost immediately went to fixing his hair, “I'd be ready sooner if you didn't like to play with my hair so much.”

 


End file.
